"Chopper" Read (full name: Mark Brandon Read), a
Melbourne "
head-hunter" who made his money by terrorising other
criminals. Allegedly killed 19 people, though was only convicted for
murder once.
Later he became a best-selling
author. Written mainly from his
prison cell, Read's nine
books have sold more than 400,000 copies via word of mouth, in a country where a 10,000 sale denotes
bestseller status. They are also said to be the most shoplifted books in the country.
Read was freed in 1992, proclaiming that he would never get into trouble again. Shortly afterwards, he was charged with shooting a
biker associate. He returned to jail, married his girlfriend, Mary-Ann, and carried on writing.
Released from prison in 1998, he announced his retirement from crime, saying he had a wife and publishers to support. He moved to a remote farm in
Tasmania with Mary-Ann and they have a 14-month-old son, Charles. When not writing more silly books", he chops wood for a living. He says he doesn't have many friends and keeps himself to himself.